Hummus is a Middle East dip made out of sesame paste, chickpeas, lemon, olive oil and salt. The origin of this recipes is uncertain and many countries have claimed for it.

The chickpea was already cultivated around 7,000 years ago in the Middle East. It is believed that the chickpeas were brought into Europe by the Phoenicians. Certainly the Romans were fans of this blondie and thanks to them it became part of the Iberian diet. Well, that may remain always a mystery but its nutritional benefits are not and thanks to that and to its delicious flavour, hummus is now a big star everywhere.

Hummus can be a great alternative to mayonnaise or a good salad dressing, and is very easy to make. If you are looking for ways to spice up your hummus, here are some ideas from Shape Magazine that show us how to make different types of hummus. Add some oregano and sun dried tomato and you have an Italian version, or jalapeño, avocado and cilantro and you have the Mexican version. As you can see you can never get bored with hummus because there are a many of ways to make it.